1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an end face polishing apparatus for polishing end faces of rod-shaped members of optical communication fibers and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical communication fiber is used after it has been adhered and fixed to a center hole of a ferrule which is a main member of a connector, and then an end face of the ferrule and an end face of a fiber are simultaneously smoothly polished to become a mirror surface. If the polished surfaces of the ferrule and the fiber thus polished are not vertical to a center axis of the ferrule, or the polished surfaces have damages, the optical connector having ferrules oppositely connected with each other is deteriorated in accuracy at the opposite position, resulting in an increase in loss. Therefore, the polished surface of a ferrule including an optical fiber requires finishing of the polished surface with high accuracy.
As a conventional optical fiber end face polishing apparatus, for example, there is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei 3-26456. The optical fiber end face polishing apparatus disclosed in this publication has an eccentric plate which rotates on a concentric circle of a self-rotation disc, and has a planetary gear which transmits rotation of a motor for revolution to this eccentric plate, and this eccentric plate is combined with a polishing plate to cause the polishing plate to self-rotate and revolve. The plurality of the end-faces of the ferrule held by a jig plate are pressed to the polishing member fixed to the polishing plate, and the end faces of the ferrules are polished.
As described above, the conventional optical fiber end face polishing apparatus conducts polishing by pressing with spring and the like the end faces of a plurality of ferrules held by the jig plate to the polishing member fixed to the self-rotating and revolving polishing plate. There is no problem if the number of ferrules mounted on the jig plate are always the same. However, if a jig plate which may normally hold a plurality of ferrules (6 to 12) instead holds a few number of ferrules (3 to 4), the variation in the load added to one ferrule becomes large, thereby increasing the variation of the size of the end face shape R. Further, in a case that the load is controlled by adjusting the force of the spring, it is required to decrease the adjustment error of the spring force by mechanical control which may be difficult to accomplish.
The object of the present invention, in view of the above, is to provide an end face polishing apparatus which may polish while adding a certain load on the ferrule when polishing the end face of the ferrule.
To solve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, an end face polishing apparatus has a rod-shaped member mounted on a jig plate by a polishing member mounted on the polishing plate which is rotatably and swingably supported to the apparatus body. The jig plate is supported in a state where rotation is regulated, and is provided with at least the mounting portion of the rod-shaped member movable in the vertical direction and is supported to the jig plate by the tip end of the rod-shaped member.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in a first aspect of the invention, an end face polishing apparatus is characterized in that the jig plate is supported movably in the vertical direction by the support mechanism, and the mounting portion of the rod-shaped member is provided integrally with the peripheral portion of the jig plate.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the invention, an end face polishing apparatus is characterized in that the jig plate is formed with a through hole or a recessed groove in the center, whereas the support mechanism has a support shaft that may be inserted or fitted to the through hole or the recessed groove, and both are engaged movably in the vertical direction.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the invention, an end face polishing apparatus is characterized in that the through hole or the recessed groove and the support shaft are engaged to restrict the rotation of the jig plate with the support shaft as the center.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the third or fourth aspect of the invention, an end face polishing apparatus is characterized in that the engaging portion formed with the through holes and recessed grooves of the jig plate is exchangeable, in which by exchanging with a pressurizing engaging portion having a recess portion at the apex portion for receiving the tip end of the support shaft, the jig plate is pressurized by the support shaft downwards with a predetermined pressure.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, an end face polishing apparatus is characterized in that the jig plate is supported by the support mechanism, and the mounting portion of the rod-shaped member is supported to the jig plate movably in the vertical direction.
In the end face polishing apparatus of the present invention, by the weight of the jig plate, a certain load may always be applied to the rod-shaped member. Further, since the load is applied by the weight of the jig plate, the structure of the apparatus can be simplified. Further, since polishing can be conducted by applying a certain load to the rod-shaped member, the accuracy of the shape of the polishing surface can be improved.